צׇרְעִי
a Tsorite or Tsorathite, i.e. inhabitants of Tsorah
Definition
The Hebrew word צׇרְעִי (Tsorʻîy) is a gentilic noun meaning 'a Tsorite' or 'Tsorathite,' referring to an inhabitant of the town Tsorah (or Zorah). This town, located in the tribal territory of Judah, is most famously known as the birthplace of the judge Samson (Judges 13:2). The term appears exclusively in genealogical lists within 1 Chronicles, where it designates a clan or family group descended from the inhabitants of this specific location. The alternate form צׇרְעָתִי (Tsorʻâthîy) carries the same meaning, with both terms used interchangeably to identify people from Tsorah.
Biblical Usage
This word is used three times in the Old Testament, all within the genealogical records of 1 Chronicles. It appears in the lists detailing the families of the tribe of Judah, specifically the descendants of Caleb (1 Chronicles 2:53, 54) and in a later list of Judah's descendants (1 Chronicles 4:2). Its usage is purely geographical and genealogical, serving to identify a clan's origin from the town of Tsorah. There are no narrative uses of the term; it functions solely as a label within these historical family registers.
Etymology
The word is a patrial noun, derived from the place name צׇרְעָה (Tsorʻâh, H6881), meaning 'Tsorah' or 'Zorah.' The gentilic suffix -ִי (-îy) is added to indicate 'belonging to' or 'inhabitant of' that place. The root of the place name itself may be related to the Hebrew word for 'hornet' (צִרְעָה, tsirʻâh), possibly describing the town's location or a notable feature, though this connection is uncertain. The alternate form צׇרְעָתִי uses the common feminine locative suffix -ָתִי (-âthîy) for the same purpose.
Semantic Range
While the word itself is a simple geographical identifier, its significance lies in its connection to the town of Tsorah, which is theologically important as the hometown of Samson (Judges 13:2). Samson was a key judge and Nazirite, whose life and calling were central to God's deliverance of Israel from the Philistines. Understanding that the 'Tsorathites' were from this specific location enriches the reading of the genealogies in 1 Chronicles by linking these later clan records back to a place of significant redemptive history in the book of Judges.
In the ancient Israelite context, gentilic names like 'Tsorite' were crucial for establishing tribal and clan identity, land inheritance, and social connections. Being identified as from Tsorah placed a person or family within the tribe of Judah and connected them to a specific geographic and historical legacy. For the original audience of Chronicles, these names would have reinforced their understanding of Israel's history as rooted in concrete places and families, part of God's covenant promises regarding land and lineage.
יְהוּדִי (Yehûdîy, H3064) — A broader term meaning 'Judahite' or 'Jew,' referring to anyone from the tribe or territory of Judah, whereas צׇרְעִי specifies a town within that territory.
Word Details
How this works
Hebrew definitions are from Brown-Driver-Briggs (1906) and Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (1890), both public domain. BDB was groundbreaking for its era but reflects 19th-century assumptions about Semitic etymology. Modern scholarship (HALOT, DCH) has revised many entries. Use these definitions as a starting point for exploration, not as the final word on a term's meaning in context.
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